Title: Don't go for second best, baby
Rating: G
Pairing:Santana/Rachel
Spoilers: Up to Laryngitis, with some differences
Disclaimer: nothing is mine, unfortunately
Summary: They don't want to settle for second best...so, who is the best?
Note: Spoilers for Laryngitis, but Jesse didn't meet Rachel at the library, he's not dating her and he never transferred. The song is 'Fallin' for you' by Colbie Caillat English is not my first language, so thanks to squire_conrad for helping me!
Rachel stood still in the center of the room. Ten minutes ago the entire Glee club left her alone, and she was still looking at the door, hoping for Finn to return.
He used her so many times, for Glee and for his scholarshipand she had always forgiven him. Why couldn't he do the same? For once she was the one to make a mistake, was his pride more important than her?
Realizing he wouldn't come back, she let tears fall while she went to get her bag.
"Berry, are you okay?"
Rachel hastily wiped away the tears and turned around to face Santana.
"I'm perfectly fine, thank you for your concern."
The Latina frowned seeing the tear tracks and red eyes. "Are you sure?"
"Why would I lie to you? It would be perfectly fine to admit a moment of weakness, but it's not happening to me," she said, trying to convince herself too.
"If you say so," Santana smirked. "'Cause you really look like shit."
ooooo
"Don't you hate her? Look at how they are wrapped around her fingers," Santana whispered in Rachel's ear, while she was watching Finn and Puck talk to Quinn. "She slept with my boyfriend. She cheated on Finn and lied to him, and he still follows her around like a lost puppy. After everything she did to him…and to you."
"At least she didn't take his virginity for fun," Rachel glared at her, aware of Santana's bad mood and that she was trying to take it out on her.
ooooo
"Berry."
Rachel rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything, glad that even if Santana seemed to ignore her given name, she had ceased the name-calling. "What can I do for you?"
"I," Santana cleared her throat, looking around to be sure that they were alone. "I'm sorry."
Rachel looked at her surprised: Santana Lopez apologizing was something unheard of.
"What I did with Finn was wrong…and totally not worth it. He whined a lot and I didn't even come because he has… an early arrival problem."
Rachel widened her eyes, taken aback by the unexpected information, but she wasn'ttoo impressed by Santana's speech.
"I just…I thought it would boost my popularity." She hung her head, not knowing why she was revealing this to Rachel and especially why she feared her judgment. "I'm not a nice person," she mumbled.
"Oh, Santana," Rachel breathed out. "You're a beautiful person, you just don't know it, yet."
ooooo
"S, don't be mean!"
Santana stopped in her tracks. "B, do you think I'm a bad person?"
The blonde looked at the honest and fearful look on her best friend's face. "Oh no! You are fantastic! Just a little bitchy sometimes, but I love you."
The Latina hugged her then schooled her features into her usual scowl and entered the school. She opened her locker and a note fell onto the floor.
"Look under the snarky exterior."
She raised her head: Rachel Berry was smirking at her, an expression that she had never seen on the diva's face. Then Rachel smiled and turned away and before she knew it, Santana caught herself thinking about how Berry's unusual antics were oddly attractive.
ooooo
"Really, I don't understand why you insist to feign interest in Noah," Rachel approached her after 'The Boy is Mine' performance.
"Jesus Christ, Berry! Wear a bell!" Santana growled.
"When it's obvious that you are a lesbian," Rachel continued undeterred. Santana dragged her into the nearest stall.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Don't act so shocked. You thought that people wouldn't notice your extreme closeness to Brittany?"
"She's my best friend!"
"And how many people do you know whosleep, in the biblical sense of the term, with their best friend?"
"She's with Mike," avoided the direct question.
"That might mean that she is bisexual. And that maybe you don't have sex anymore, but you definitely have in the past. Let me ask you something. Do you think Mike would sleep with Matt?"
"Ew, no! But that doesn't count; they are not gay!"
"Are you saying that they wouldn't do it because they are not attracted by the gender their best friends belong to?"
"Exactly!"
"So it means that you ARE attracted to females, since you slept with Brittany."
Realization that Rachel tricked her into admitting her feelings dawned on Santana. "You little -" she stopped when the girl raised an eyebrow, as if to dare her to insult her. "Get off of your high horse, Berry, you're still pining after Finn who -"
"Not anymore," Rachel interrupted her resolutely.
This time it's the Cheerios turn to raise an inquisitive eyebrow.
"Rachel Berry doesn't go for second best, baby. Never. And you shouldn't do it either," Rachel quoted Madonna and left a stunned Santana.
"Did she just call me baby?"
ooooo
Santana barged into Brittany's living room, where she was kissing Mike on the couch.
"Chang, I need Brittany."
The couple stopped.
"Now," she added, looking pointedly at Mike.
"I wanted to get something to drink anyway," he stood up.
Santana sat down on the couch next to Brittany. "Who is the best at our school?"
The blonde stared at her. "The best what? Best dancer? Best kisser? Best Cheerio?" she could continue but Santana interrupted her.
"Best like… if you'd want to go out with someone, who would you choose? Who isn't me or Mike?"
"Rachel," Brittany said without hesitation.
"Berry?" the Latina asked, surprised at the choice and at the speed of the answer.
"Yes," she nodded. "She is the best singer I know, she can dance too. She always explains things I don't understand to me. She is really pretty and she is very huggable too."
"Huggable?"
"Yes! She fits against me. She is tiny, but not too thin. And she is smaller than me, so I can rest my head on hers… she smells nice, you know."
"Who are you talking about?" Mike asked.
"Rachel" "Berry" The girls answered at the same time.
"She's a cool chick. Ballet is not my thing, but it gave her very good basics, she is an excellent dancer. And if you get past her obsession with singing, she is really funny to hang around. She is like a living jukebox. She knows almost every possible song, not only Broadway. She is different from the other girls. I like her. Not as much as I like you, naturally," he plopped down next to Brittany.
"Since when do you know all these things about Rachel?" Santana asked, forgetting that she was supposed to call her Berry.
"We hang out sometimes," Mike shrugged.
"We?"
"Me, Matt, Puck, Kurt and Artie."
"With Rachel?" Santana was incredulous.
"And Brittany too, sometimes."
The brunette raised an eyebrow, waiting for an ulterior explanation.
"After 'Run Joey Run,' Artie asked Rachel if she wanted to work on another video together. She asked Brittany and me to help with the choreography. Kurt made the costumes, Puck played the guitar with Artie, and Matt just tagged along with me."
"And just like that you all became friends."
"Yes. Why?"
"She wants to ask Rachel on a date," Brittany answered.
"I don't," Santana protested.
"You don't?" her friend asked, confused.
"I mean, we're not even friends, and she likes boys…" she tried to find excuses.
"I don't think she will have any problems with it. I mean, she has gay daddies," Mike said smiling, enjoying watching the tough cheerleader squirm.
ooooo
Santana was walking towards her class, when she saw Finn hovering next to Rachel's locker.
"We could do something together this evening."
"Thank you, Finn, but I have other obligations."
"Come on, Rach, I know that we haven't spent time together lately, but this is a perfect chance."
For an instant Santana saw Rachel waver under the power of Finn's puppy-eyes.
"I told you Finn, I can't," she hesitated. "I'm meeting some friends."
"But you don't have any friends except for me," he said innocently, missing the hurt expression on Rachel's face.
"Berry, 4 pm in the parking lot. I'll give you a lift to Brittany's," Santana said as she strolled by them.
ooooo
"I thought I told you 4 pm in the parking lot," the girl said from the door of the auditorium.
"Santana," Rachel spun around, "I thought you only said that because Finn was there. Although I don't understand why you would be willing to let him believe that we are going to spend time together, since it's common knowledge that you find me insufferable. Therefore, I assumed that I wouldn't have to show up at the agreed time, since I didn't agree anyway, but it was your unilateral decision, and -"
"Get your shit and let's go Berry; Brittany is waiting for us," Santana cut her short. "I'll be waiting in the car."
ooooo
Rachel put her seatbelt on, while Santana rolled her eyes.
"Spare me the car crashes and death statistics, please."
Rachel snapped her mouth shut and huffed.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked after a few minutes of silence.
"The best way to support a lie is to make it the truth," Santana shrugged. It's not like she wanted to be her friend, she just wanted to teach Finn a lesson: not for hurting her, just for… being annoying, yes. That must be the reason.
ooooo
Brittany stopped the movie.
"What is it, Brit? You don't like it?" Rachel asked.
"I thought this was your favorite Disney movie," Santana agreed, "but we can watch another one, if you want."
"Why aren't you singing?" the blonde asked Rachel.
"What?"
"Last time we watched a movie you sang all the songs. Why aren't you singing?"
"Oh," Rachel threw a glance at Santana. "Well, some people don't like it when you talk during a film."
"Whatever, Berry. I suppose there are worst things than hearing you sing."
The other two girls beamed at her, despite her less than kind response, and for the rest of the film, which Brittany started again from the beginning, Santana wondered how she found herself watching a children's movie with two girls who were so incredibly nice.
During the following weeks Santana spent more time with Rachel, thanks to Brittany who seemed to think Berry was the best thing since sliced bread, even better than ducks. If it weren't for the billion of extracurricular activities the diva attended, they would have spent every waking moment together.
This caused Santana to start looking at Rachel in a different way.
"Want to hang out today?"
"I'm sorry, but this afternoon -" Rachel began to answer, but Santana cut her off.
"Why the hell not? You're friends with Brittany, Chang, Rutherford, even with Kurt and, God knows why, with Puck. Why can't I be your friend too? You went to an instrumental fair with him, you went with Mike and Brittany to a dance convention, but you can't go out with me? I'm not good enough?"
Rachel looked at her with wide eyes. "And they say I'm a drama queen!" she put a hand on Santana's arm. "I was saying that I have dance lessons all afternoon, but if it were acceptable to you we could meet upafter…"
"Oh," the Latina looked at the floor blushing. "I'll see you there, then," she scampered off, embarrassed, not even asking where the studio was or what time she finished her lessons.
"Excuse me, can you tell me where I can find Rachel Berry?" Santana asked the receptionist, almost sure that he would know whom she was talking about.
"Fourth room on the left," he smiled at her.
Santana stood outside the door, watching Rachel dance something that, according to the Latina's knowledge, should be a waltz with a taller boy. She snickered when she heard her voice: it figured that Rachel Berry wouldn't dance without singing too.
I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream
I know you, the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a-gleam
Yet I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem
But if I know you, I know what you do,
You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream
But if I know you, I know what you do,
You love me at once,
If Santana thought she disliked Rachel dancing so close to her partner, she would have hated it when he joined her singing, if only their voices didn't mesh so well.
The way you did once upon a dream
I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream
I know you, the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a-gleam
And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem
But if I know you, I know what you do,
You love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream
She knocked on the door to announce her presence.
"Santana, I didn't expect you so early, I'm going to go change immediately."
"Go Rachel, you don't want to make your date wait," the boy called after her.
"She is not my date, she's a friend!" came back from the changing room.
Santana inexplicably didn't feel happy when Rachel called her a friend.
"Why is that frown marring your beautiful face?"
"Jesse, come here! I need your help!" Rachel shouted, distracting him.
"Sorry, the diva is calling."
After five minutes Rachel came out, her hair in a ponytail and wearing sweats and a loose t-shirt.
"I'm sorry, I thought I would have time to go home and change."
"Don't worry. It's strange seeing you like this, but it suits you," Santana said, leaving the room. "But if you want we can pass by your house…"
Rachel shrugged. "Just this once." Then she said to the receptionist, "James, in five minutes go and free Jesse, I think he locked himself in the shower."
James laughed. "Sure, locked himself in."
"Berry, won't he be angry?" Santana wondered.
"First, call me Rachel, okay? Second, he loves me too much to stay angry with me, I'm the Brittany to his Santana."
"What?" she asked confused.
"You know how you forgive Brit everything, just because she looks at you with her big doe eyes?"
Santana thought about denying it, but she nodded.
"Well, for me it's the same. Not that someone would believe him anyway. Keeping up with comparisons, I'm the Finn to his Puck."
"You know that you just compared yourself to two of dullest crayons in the box?"
"You think you're funny, don't you?" Rachel rolled her eyes as Santana smirked. "If you catch Finn and Puck doing something wrong, whose fault is it?"
"Puck's," she answered with confidence.
Now it's Rachel's turn to smirk. "Exactly, they would never blame me. Surely the big bad Jesse corrupted me, little cute innocent Rachel," she looked at Santana with exaggeratedly big eyes, biting her lip, the picture of innocence.
"Devious," Santana shook her head, amused.
"Not that they catch us often; we are very good," Rachel said, proudly.
They continued to talk and bicker pleasantly, until they were on the way to Rachel's home, Santana carrying the dancer's bag.
"I really had fun, Rachel, you're not annoying like at school."
"Geeze, thank you, you really know how to flatter a chick," Rachel said sarcastically.
"And you talk like a normal person, too. I wondered if you talked like a walking thesaurus at home too. Are you aware that people don't understand half of the things you say?"
Rachel smirked, but didn't answer.
"Oh my God, you know! You do it on purpose!"
"Well, this is my stop. Thank you for walking me home, Santana, and for the pleasant time, I hope we can do it again," she kissed her on the cheek before opening the door.
Not even five minutes after Santana left Rachel, she received a SMS on her cell. "So…you've thought about me at home?"
ooooo
"I think we need to talk to Puck."
"Why?"
"I heard Karoskfy say that Rachel is really hot and that he wants to ask her on a date," Mike explained.
"But Rachel wouldn't accept," Brittany said.
"Well, she is single and she doesn't seem interested in Finn anymore… and you know how she goes all crazy if someone serenades her. Think about Puck! He slushied her for years, then he sings to her and she accepts a date with him."
"Do you think Karosfky can sing?" the blonde asked just before a slamming locker disturbed their conversation.
"Santana, are you okay?" Mike inquired.
"Peachy," she growled before stomping away.
As soon as the Latina was out of earshot, the couple high-fived each other grinning. "Think it worked?"
"We just have to wait for the next Glee practice."
"And keep Santana away from Karosfky."
ooooo
"Since last time it didn't go too well, I want you to try again. Pick a song that expresses exactly what you are feeling right now. No duets," Mr. Schuester looked at Mercedes and Santana, remembering how they almost fought.
"Santana, do you want to start?"
She shrugged, "Whatever."
I don't know but
I think I maybe
Fallin' for you
Dropping so quickly
Maybe I should
Keep this to myself
Waiting 'til I
Know you better
I am trying
Not to tell you
But I want to
I'm scared of what you'll say
So I'm hiding what I'm feeling
But I'm tired of
Holding this inside my head
I've been spending all my time
Just thinking about ya
I don't know where to
I think I'm fallin' for you
I've been waiting all my life
And now I found ya
I don't know where to
I think I'm fallin' for you
I'm fallin' for you
As I'm standing here
And you hold my hand
Pull me towards you
And we start to dance
All around us
I see nobody
Here in silence
It's just you and me
Oh I just can't take it
My heart is racing
The emotions keep spinning out
I've been spending all my time
Just thinking about ya
I don't know where to
I think I'm fallin' for you
I've been waiting all my life
and now I found ya
I don't know where to
I think I'm fallin' for you
I'm fallin' for you
I think I'm fallin' for you
I can't stop thinking about it
I want you all around me
And now I just can't hide it
I think I'm fallin' for you
I'm fallin' for you
ooooo
At the end of practice Matt, Mike, Puck and Artie exchanged looks and followed Santana out of the room, while Mr. Schuester asked Rachel to stay behind to talk.
The boys cornered Santana.
"So…" Puck began.
"So what?" Santana asked, irritated, trying to see if Rachel was coming out: she wanted to talk with her, not with them.
"What do you intend to do, with Rachel?"
"Excuse me?" she glared at Matt.
"We aren't blind, we saw how you looked at her while singing… I was the first one to pull that shit. I know things," Puck said.
"Are you going to ask her out?"
"Ask out who?" Rachel asked.
"You," all the boys answered.
"They were giving me the 'hurt her and we'll hurt you' speech."
"I'll let you know that having your foot rolled over by my chair is really painful," Artie warned her.
"I'll confirm that," Puck grimaced.
"Shouldn't I have a say in this?" Rachel crossed her arms over her chest.
They looked at each other before Puck pushed Santana forward.
"Hey!" she started to protest when she saw Rachel's glare. "Umm…. Will you go on a date with me Friday evening?"
"Yes," she answered simply, smiling.
"Yes," Brittany appeared. "I'll be at your house at 5."
"Us too," the boys said.
Brittany looked at them weirdly. "Do you want to help with clothes and make up too?" she asked.
They looked at her, horrified, while Santana and Rachel laughed.
"We'll stay downstairs waiting for Santana to arrive," Puck hurried to specify.
"Guys, I appreciate it… but I have parents for that job, you know?" They looked at her. "Okay, do what you want!" she sighed, inwardly smiling. "Look, I have to go, but don't scare away my girlfriend, okay?"
A smile threatened to split Santana's face in two.
"What are you going to do?"
"Where are you taking her?"
"What are your intentions?"
"I should have known that dating Rachel Berry wouldn't be easy," Santana muttered, preparing herself to answer the questions fired at her by her girlfriend's very protective male friends. "Girlfriend. I like it!"
Thank you for reading! I'd love to hear what you think about this, so...review, please.